1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a saddle ride, fuel cell powered vehicle, and particularly to a saddle ride, fuel cell powered vehicle having radiator and surrounding configurations such that the cooling performance of radiators can be enhanced. In addition, the present invention relates to a fuel cell powered vehicle such that the cooling effect on a voltage converter unit can be enhanced with a simple configuration and that the weight balance of the vehicle body can be enhanced through the layout position of the voltage converter unit.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventionally, there have been known fuel cell powered vehicles on which a fuel cell for generating electric power by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen is mounted and which are driven to run by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell. Such a fuel cell powered vehicle is ordinarily provided with a radiator for radiating the heat generated by the fuel cell.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2007-59127 discloses a saddle ride, fuel cell powered motorcycle in which, in addition to a radiator attached to a vehicle body frame on the rear side of a front wheel, another radiator is disposed on the front side of a head pipe of the vehicle body frame.
In a saddle ride, vehicle having little surplus space, unlike a four-wheel vehicle or the like having a compartment, it is desirable that a radiator is as small as possible. Besides, in a radiator of the type in which heat is radiated by passage of a running airflow or the like, the cooling performance is heavily influenced by such factors as the layout position of the radiator in relation to the vehicle body. Thus, there is a request for development of a technique for enhancing the cooling performance of a radiator without enlarging the radiator.
In addition, fuel cell powered vehicles have been known in which a voltage converter unit is provided for converting the voltage supplied from the fuel cell to a voltage suitable for driving a running motor or electrical equipment. Since the voltage converter unit generates heat at the time of voltage conversion, various techniques are investigated for appropriately treating the heat thus generated.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-37167 discloses a configuration in which a hydrogen fuel container made of a hydrogen occluding alloy is disposed in the proximity to the voltage converter unit (DC-DC converter), whereby the heat of the voltage converter unit can be transferred to the hydrogen fuel container
In the technology of Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-37167, however, in the case of introducing the running airflow into the inside of the vehicle body in order to sufficiently cool the voltage converter unit, it has been necessary to provide a vehicle body cover or the like with a baffle plate or the like. In addition, it is desired that the layout position of the voltage converter unit be set taking into account the weight balance of the vehicle body.